I've got this stubborn leak in my old house where the cold water pipe connects to the valve of a kitchen faucet. I've been dealing with a steady drip for years, and when I finally decided to replace the faucet, I thought the valve was the issue. Taking it apart was surprisingly easy, and the pipe looked fine. Even when I turned off the water supply to the house, the pipe continued to leak. I tried applying Teflon tape (even though it was wet) and replaced the valve, but it didn't fix the issue. No matter how tightly I tightened it, the drips just keep coming. I'm looking for any suggestions before I decide to throw money at a bigger fix!
3 Answers
Just a heads up: even with the water off, you might still get some water from pipes above, so if you're trying to work without any leaks, remember to turn off the main water supply. Open a tap on the lowest floor first, so air can get in and help drain the system. Also, while you're in the kitchen, think about adding some shutoff valves for easier access later. If you're really having trouble, switching out the galvanized pipes for copper or PEX might be worth the investment.
Have you checked the faucet cartridge? They wear out over time and can cause leaks too. Depending on the brand, there might even be a lifetime warranty on it!
You should try cleaning the threads with a wire brush to make sure everything's nice and smooth. Then wrap the threads with about 5 layers of Teflon tape and add some pipe dope on top of that before tightening it back up. If it's still leaking after that, you might need to consider replacing the galvanized pipe altogether.